SEA ~ Belltown/Denny Projects & Photos

[mSeattle]

Is this "The Martin"?

1917 Second Ave (240')
Land Use Application to allow a 24 story, 175 unit residential building above 3,695 sq. ft. of retail at ground floor. Parking for 226 vehicles will be located below and above grade.

http://web1.seattle.gov/dpd/luib/Notice.aspx?id=3883

[blackc5]

Nope, The Martin is planned for 5th & Lenora I believe. I believe this is something new - kitty corner to 2nd & Pine (1) perhaps?

[mSeattle]

Cool, more highrise density!

[seaskyfan]

This one is mid-block between Virginia and Stewart on the west side of the street - there's a parking garage there now.

[SeattleHusky82]

This is Intracorp's next major condo project, they are currently working on The Parc in Belltown. A very preliminary rendering was released a few months ago, I believe Weber + Thompson is the architect.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b142/Dancer-2/2_stewert.jpg

[mSeattle]

Good grief. 2 Union Sq. spit that one out too. :D

[destroybananas]

^lol

[Seasun]

Beautiful morning for a walk. I hope these photos aren't too slow and big for you.

OSP waterfront
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/OSPwater.jpg

Alexander Calder's Eagle at OSP with the Needle
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/OSPeagle.jpg

OSP fountain parts getting ready for installation next to Alaskan Way and Broad Street
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/OSPfountain.jpg

Bridge over railroad with cool cantilever
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/OSPbridge.jpg

OSP pavilion and greenhouse (vivarium)
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/OSPgreenhouse.jpg

OSP log art piece inside really "green" house
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/OSPloghouse.jpg

Giant eraser on slope with Eagle in distance
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/OSPeraser.jpg

Metal tree sculpture
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/OSPtree.jpg

Pavillion offers very nice reflection
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/OSPbuilding.jpg

"Trio" building at Denny and Western (Two guys working there weren't wearing hardhats and no railings on edge of concrete deck. Lots of safety rule BS on signs around site.)
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/trioDennyWestern.jpg

Belltown Lake (almost an ice rink) at Broad and 2nd Ave
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/broad2nd.jpg

Clay and 3rd Ave
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/clay3rd.jpg

Battery and 3rd
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/battery3rd.jpg

Blanchard and 3rd
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/blanchard3rd.jpg

[James Bond Agent 007]

Great pics! Haven't been down to the (site of the) sculpture park in a while.

[mSeattle]

Great tour. I was down there at the beginning of the cold snap we just had. Didn't get so good pictures. I'll be back.

[mhays]

I can't wait for OSP. Good pics Seasun.

Gallery might start soon, I'm hoping! They got a building permit right before thanksgiving.

[Seasun]

I got some more photos this morning (Liberty Loans, Olive 8, Mirabella, 2201 demolition...) Thought I had successfully transferred the photos to my PC - it's really not hard - but no, I DELETED them before transferring! Oh well - it was still a fine walk. Oh and also I finally got a few exterior shots of the infamous Greyhound station in all its glory.

[77e]

There is a good rendering of 2000 3rd Ave on the Ankrom Moisan website (http://www.amaa.com/portfolio/).

(It's the fourth box in the top row of their portfolio.)

Can someone pull photos out of Flash?

[velciane]

There is a good rendering of 2000 3rd Ave on the Ankrom Moisan website (http://www.amaa.com/portfolio/).

(It's the fourth box in the top row of their portfolio.)

Can someone pull photos out of Flash?

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f117/vvebmike/2000-3rd.jpg

[Hoodrat]

:yuck: :yuck: :yuck: :yuck: :yuck: :yuck:

That firm should be banned from Seattle.

Talk about a bunch of bland garbage.

[VillageIdiot]

^^ Interesting design... not sure I like it, but it might grow on me.

[SeattleHusky82]

It's not bad. Much better than the original design by LMN architects. :maddown:

http://www.tarragon.com/images/properties/body_2000_3rd_ave.jpg

[NW Mike]

I think the new design is great. The could do more with the face but the top observation deck will be great. Maybe there will be more revisions. But it sure is getting better! Burn the Old Image

[mSeattle]

The developer community is clearly building infill that will surround the knees of the future taller towers. Either that or they're saddists. Why don't we have a "yawn face" on this forum?

[Black Box]

I don't know how I missed the OSP photographs. Less than two weeks to go until opening time!

[mSeattle]

Are the 2000 3rd developers/architects doing a knock-off of a building in Hartford CT and claiming that their design is "stunning" no less?

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a238/ctman987/IMG_3214.jpg

[northface]

OMG...it looks identical...

[Urban Zombie]

That latest 2000 3rd design, while not inspiring by any standards (well, except for maybe Phoenix's or Vegas'), is still an improvement over its predecessor nevertheless--which, even that one was an improvement over the original stubby, trashcan design. If this is indeed the trend of this project's development, then lets hope the ole drawing board still has a few more designs up its sleeve before implementation.

[mSeattle]

Well yes. There is some improvement. I just want it on record that this is not stunning. If so, then it is grading on a very generous curve.

[James Bond Agent 007]

I suppose when a zillion skyscrapers get built worldwide, after a while a lot of them are gonna start to look the same. Oh well.

[mSeattle]

Enough have been built to know the truth of where this one stands. :D
I'm totally ok with it as simply infill.

You hear that 2000 3rd people? You ain't nothin' but infill... No matter how much frost/gloss you put on your rendering. :D

[mSeattle]

Escala site

http://www.stringmages.com/skyscraperpage/belltown/P1114200_600.JPG

[mhays]

Ooooh! Great picture.

It's so easy to forget how awesome the Westin is.

[Black Box]

I share the same enthusiasm, I love the Westin Towers.

[Hoodrat]

Agreed.

It's Seattle's version of Marina City.

[mSeattle]

Thanks and I agree with you three.

[mSeattle]

Question: Is West 8th the site of the old Capitol Music store?

[mhays]

Yep.

[mSeattle]

Those guys are going to t-o-w-n on the Olivian site. I like that kind of robust action.

[mhays]

Casa de mhays, aka Gallery, put up their tower crane today.

That's five within a couple blocks of my current place. The housing boom at the north end of Belltown isn't flashy, with the three tallest projects all 125', but we're getting serious density here.

By 2010, you could easily gerrymander a district of 100,000+/sm density down here by selecting contiguous blocks averaging 300+ units each, which is a solid number given our block sizes. Of course, real census tracts will always include other stuff like the Sculpture Park and blocks that have little or no housing. Even the Bay Vista block is only 77 units for all its height.

[mSeattle]

Great. I like that Gallery project. Good addition of density/design from the street.

[mSeattle]

Here are some shots from the Olives...

Olive 8
http://www.stringmages.com/skyscraperpage/denny/P1083988_500.jpg

This was taken in Januaray. The core is built up to street level now and starting to rise.

Olivian
http://www.stringmages.com/skyscraperpage/denny/PICT0002_600.jpg

Took this with a cheap quality camera.

[Seasun]

Photos from yesterday:

Olive 8. By the way, I recently spoke to a subcontractor on this project who says that because subcontracts were "assignable" - Skanska is indeed assigning the contracts to the new guys - JTM.
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/olive8.jpg

808 Olive (which now I'm realizing is called the Olivian as noted above):
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/808olive.jpg

Cosmopolitan (wide view and close-up)
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/cosmowide.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/cosmoclose.jpg

West 8th demolition machines were busy yesterday:
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/seasun_01/west8th.jpg

[northface]

i like the cosmopolitain!!!! wow! so much work going on!

[mSeattle]

They tore that former Capitol Music building down already??? If so, that was fast! I was just by there a few days ago.

[mSeattle]

The site immediately south of Cosmo is fenced off and has big machines on site. Perhaps the midrise office is about to start.

[northface]

do u or anyone know what that is? i thought some tower was being built next to the cosmo and is gonna block its views...?

[seapug]

probably one of the other 3 projects on that block is going to start. probably the short like 160' one, but i hope it's one of the taller ones

[mhays]

That's a 14-story office building.

PS, the Bosa property at 10th & Stewart, where a high-rise residential tower is planned, has a fence around the existing building. When did this happen? What does it mean?

I see that the project on the east side of Eastlake (1100?) is clearing their site. Small office or biotech building.

[SeattleHusky82]

PS, the Bosa property at 10th & Stewart, where a high-rise residential tower is planned, has a fence around the existing building. When did this happen? What does it mean?


The fencing went up a few months ago actually. I'm assuming they're still waiting to get the demo permit to destroy that piece of crap that it's replacing. I hope they've made some modifications to the building, the rendering that was released last year was pretty bland.

[seapug]

the rendering has slipped my mind could you repost it or a link to it

[bgwah]

I mostly like the Cosmopolitan, but the base is ugly.

[mSeattle]

I was in Belltown this evening and saw some projects on 3rd Ave. There's something going on one block north of Blanchard on the east side of the street. Also I think I saw something further north on the west side of the street. Does anyone know what these are? I was on the bus and couldn't get a good look.

[mhays]

1.5 blocks north of Blanchard is the Moda condo project. South of Blanchard, midblock on the west side, is a 90-unit, five-story(!?) low-income senior housing project by Plymouth Housing Group.

[hi123]

Any updates on molser lofts or gallery?

[mSeattle]

More infill redevelopment in Belltown.
-----------------------------------
http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/luib/3005411.jpg

http://web1.seattle.gov/dpd/luib/Notice.aspx?id=4690

Land Use Application to allow an eight-story building containing, 5,176 sq. ft. of retail at ground level, 5,780 sq. ft. of community center for the City of Seattle Parks Department, 13,026 sq. ft. of human service use with accessory offices and 67 residential units above. Parking for 58 vehicles to be provided in two levels below grade. Project includes 2,000 cu. yds. of grading. Existing structure to be demolished.

[SeattleHusky82]

818 Stewart has definitely started digging

[mSeattle]

That's the site next to Cosmo?

[Vashon118]

Any updates on molser lofts or gallery?

Concrete work at Mosler Lofts is finished through floor 9 (looks like the floor slab for 10 could be poured today). Interior work is in progress on floors 1-4.

I did see concrete work going on at Gallery yesterday, but I don't think the bottom of the foundation has been completely poured yet.

Edit: They are doing the 10'th floor concrete pour at Mosler as I type this.

[mhays]

More infill redevelopment in Belltown.
-----------------------------------
http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/luib/3005411.jpg

http://web1.seattle.gov/dpd/luib/Notice.aspx?id=4690

Land Use Application to allow an eight-story building containing, 5,176 sq. ft. of retail at ground level, 5,780 sq. ft. of community center for the City of Seattle Parks Department, 13,026 sq. ft. of human service use with accessory offices and 67 residential units above. Parking for 58 vehicles to be provided in two levels below grade. Project includes 2,000 cu. yds. of grading. Existing structure to be demolished.

About time. This was announced about three years ago.

[seaskyfan]

Went by Moda today and they were putting up the crane.

[mSeattle]

We were asking what was to become of the building next to the Paramount:

http://www.stringmages.com/skyscraperpage/denny/_2197695_600.JPG

Snapped this on Feb 19. I later too pictures with the entire left side gone. It might be all gone now.

[seapug]

what are they doing there? could it be possible that they squeaked a 60 floor tower through the system without any of us knowing? or is it just gonna be replaced by a parking lot

[herb]

Its all gone now. I didn't expect them to just tear it down given how slowly and carefully all of the molding and exterior was removed. Maybe they are going to do a luxury parking lot; using the fancy molding instead of concrete barriers and that smooth exterior stone to create paths friendly to leather soled shoes.

[mSeattle]

^Or it could be that they are going to put it on a new structure of the same size but stronger, one that could be a skyscraper? Or they could put it on another new small building in the city. One can hope. It was nice to look at. That'll free up the site to do anything in design on the dream 60-floor building.

[Vashon118]

I noticed that there is a propsoal to demolish the building at 2217 3'rd (the former Crawford & Waage hardware store). Have there been any recent proposals to redevelop the site?

[mhays]

Ugh. No proposals I'm aware of. Could it be surface parking for the grocery store next door? Bad idea.

[herb]

Yeah, unless they're expanding the nearby dog toilet, any open space will soon become a human toilet. They need to fill that hole fast. Maybe another little 6-8 story low income/senior type joint with a satellite police precinct on the bottom, since those guys are already down there anyway.

[gooddirt]

we were asking what was to become of the building next to the Paramount:

Its under contract by a local real estate development firm for a 45-story apartment project. Not sure if its a publicly disclosed deal yet so no names

[mhays]

Ooh, that is good dirt.

[SeattleHusky82]

Its under contract by a local real estate development firm for a 45-story apartment project. Not sure if its a publicly disclosed deal yet so no names

Whoa, didn't see that one coming. Is the rental market strong enough to support all these new luxury apartments? 2000 Third, Olivian, and 1823 Terry Ave will already add a substantial amount of high rise rental units to the market.

[Black Box]

^Based on what I've heard, yes, the rental market is strong. I'm sure someone else has a more detailed explanation they could offer to us.....

[mhays]

Vacancies are getting low, but rents are also low -- too low to offset the big increase in construction costs, according to many. A continued tightening of the vacancy rate will push rents up quickly in the next couple years. But for now, developers are being cautious.

Building rentals is more of a crapshoot than condos, because while condos are usually sold in advance at least partially, rents aren't set until construction is complete. So really it's a matter of a developer and their financial partners making a bet about what rents will be when they complete.

[mSeattle]

Growth in China might be slowing down. That could lower costs some.

[NW Mike]

I think rentals will begin to pick up in Downtown. With all this growth in condo development some property owners have started turning apartments into condos. Where are all these people going? There is alot of people working downtown that can not afford a $600,000 condo. Commuting is only getting worst. Just recently the WSDOT said commute times are growing rapidly. I think the market can handle a couple thousand apartments.

[mhays]

Rents already rose substantially in the past year. This is felt most by new renters (fewer incentives, higher monthly rates) and a bit less by people staying in their current places.

[Vashon118]

Saw this on the King County Metro website today:

Sunday, March 4, 5:00 AM-6:00 PM, Route 15 and Route 18 will be on reroute. Crane lift on northbound 1st Avenue between Virginia Street & Lenora Street.

I checked out the area this afternoon and the only obvious sign of possible construction activity is at the Commodore Hotel site. Could they possibly be forgoing the temporary parking lot and starting construction on the new hotel (once the debris from the old hotel is cleared away)?

[seaskyfan]

I think the permit for the new building is still pending.

Curious about the crane though. Would a crane for the Commodore site com in from 1st? I'd think they'd bring it in on 2nd.

[nehalem5]

I was up in Seattle for the chilly hilly bike ride on bainbridge island and stopped by the flagship REI. I'm really impressed with that area (Denny triangle/south lake union?). One thing I noticed were the lowrise townhomes/office complex west of REI. There was an alley/park pedestrian path through the buildings just like the ones down in the pearl district in Portland. very nice!

[NW Mike]

Its under contract by a local real estate development firm for a 45-story apartment project. Not sure if its a publicly disclosed deal yet so no names

Are you sure your not thinking of 8th and Pine? Because that is a 45 story as well. There is just so many damn 40'something towers going up.....Lets stretch them a bit to 50 plus or sixty.
In a few years when land is getting more difficult to find, then they will start going up to 60 plus. But by that time all of these pretty 40 something towers will be boxed in by the big boys building in around them..They should build taller now!

[mSeattle]

I was up in Seattle for the chilly hilly bike ride on bainbridge island and stopped by the flagship REI. I'm really impressed with that area (Denny triangle/south lake union?). One thing I noticed were the lowrise townhomes/office complex west of REI. There was an alley/park pedestrian path through the buildings just like the ones down in the pearl district in Portland. very nice!

It does give hope for a better area to come. Now if they can do something about the Denny Way Freeway or Parking Lot (depending on the day/time).

[mhays]

Another woodframe has started -- the 50-unit low-income project at Dexter & Denny. They're digging.

Boy, visiting the Whole Foods neighborhood is like visiting a solid construction zone. West 8th, 9th & Stewart, Enso, Rollin, Mirabella, Block 40, UW, Weber+Thompson, Veer, Dexter & Denny, and the streetcar, all in a pretty small area or within sight.

The 2200 project is pretty isolated for now. But that's changing very, very quickly.

[mhays]

Funny. A few years ago I was happy if a couple thousand housing units were going up in Greater Downtown. I'm not sure we got far beyond that figure at any given time in previous booms, like 1997-2002, or certainly the late 80s. But now Greater Downtown easily surpasses 4,000 units u-c. That's a record. (Geographically I'm going as far as 15th & Pine, the ID, SLU, and LQA.

It's fun to ponder. Growth tends to make slow, incremental changes in Downtown, and this is no different. But this boom isn't quite as slow and isn't quite as incremental. Underway are 4,000 housing units, 1,000 hotel rooms, nearly 2,000,000 sf of office space, 5 medical or lab buildings, and light rail.

In terms of visible change, all that might be less impactful than 1982, 1988, or 1998. But still, damn!

[Black Box]

^I know what you mean. I was traipsing through First Hill and upper Fifth to 1st Avenue and was astounded at how many projects are under construction or in the planning process. Also, Belltown's infill is impressive and Ballard is booming. I enjoy witnessing the change.

[Vashon118]

I think the permit for the new building is still pending.

Curious about the crane though. Would a crane for the Commodore site com in from 1st? I'd think they'd bring it in on 2nd.

I went through that area this morning and didn't see any sign of a crane in that area. I wonder if "crane lift" could'v meant something else.

[gooddirt]

are you sure your not thinking of 8th and Pine? Because that is a 45 story as well.

correct. I'm referring to the lot just south across the street from the Paramount next to Tower 801

[dad2two]

A bit of a change of subject... but I was just at the Olympic Sculpture Park at lunch today and couldn't help but notice how bad the architecture around the park is. The new condos are lifeless and then there is the big concrete wall at the north end. And what is the bright blue building mid-block to the east?

Anyone know of any good plans for the adjacent properties? The Parc is going up, but it doesn't look any more promising than the new buildings to the south.

[seaskyfan]

Isn't the blue building the UW Primate Center?

[JiminyCricket II]

A bit of a change of subject... but I was just at the Olympic Sculpture Park at lunch today and couldn't help but notice how bad the architecture around the park is. The new condos are lifeless and then there is the big concrete wall at the north end. And what is the bright blue building mid-block to the east?

Anyone know of any good plans for the adjacent properties? The Parc is going up, but it doesn't look any more promising than the new buildings to the south.

yeah i was thinking about that blank concrete wall and was wondering if they ever considered hiring an artist to paint that. I'd be all for having that one guy who does the designs for Lib-Tech Snowboards do the art - Jamie Lynn - he's amazing.

[hi123]

How is parc belltown coming along? any new pics?

[mSeattle]

I might have snapped a picture a couple of weeks ago. I can't keep up with the names of these places.

[hi123]

^cool! If you have any could you post them? :)

[NW Mike]

Parc Belltown
http://aycu18.webshots.com/image/12897/2006293261771632136_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2006293261771632136)

[Vashon118]

Moda Condos (3/7/07)

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/449/modacondos030707ck7.jpg

Langdon and Anne Simons Senior Apartments (3/15/07)

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/6475/langdonandannesimonssenac9.jpg

Here's a rendering (from the Plymouth Housing Group website):

http://www.plymouthhousing.org/LASSA%20Rendering.jpg

[Seattleguy]

I agree. Most of the concrete highrises around the new park are rather ugly. Concrete, unless it is painted, can look rather bland. I like the building that at least used some cream colored paint for a contrast.

[mSeattle]

The green and red of the Simons Apartments should look great against Cristala's blue.

[Bear]

^Based on what I've heard, yes, the rental market is strong. I'm sure someone else has a more detailed explanation they could offer to us.....

At some point, the starting entry price point for housing gets so high that owning (except in this credit rich environment) becomes unattainable. Additionally, there is a certain element of mobile people who come to work for a couple of years and see no need to buy a house (i.e. Microsofities and other tech transplants). With the conversion of alot of rental houses to condos, and the exclusive development of condos over the last few years, the remaining rental stock is very old and of poor quality (thanks to rents that have stayed low and not encouraged new development).

Additionally, the area has a shortage of professionally managed buildings. Sure people can rent from a condo owner, but those who have a clue know that you are treated by a second class citizen by the condo board and other owners in the building who view you (regardless of your payment of rent and coverage of maintenance fees) as an unwelcome presence out to destroy the building because you have no "stake" in it. Rents are going up, thanks to rising purchase prices for condos, and people who pay high rents expect service and onsite management, not an owner, who when you have a leaking bathroom tells you, "I am traveling and will get to it when I return in two weeks". That works when you pay under $1,000 per month in rent, not when you pay $1,800. My suspicion, and I have never rented here, but I owned a condo as an investment property, is that Hanover is doing it right - building higher end rentals for professionals who are either short term or want well managed rentals that offer them the flexibility to move when they want.

[mSeattle]

34-story apartment tower set for church parking lot

http://www.djc.com/news/re/11187720.html

The developer would pay Gethsemane Lutheran Church $8.5 million for the parking lot and air rights above the church buildings.

[mSeattle]

Olivian Crane
Going Up
Today
3/24/07

[hi123]

:( I hope the olivian turns out ok, the renderings don't look too promising.

[mSeattle]

This is the last rendering I saw of it. Doesn't look to bad but some color would be nice.

http://www.stringmages.com/skyscraperpage/denny/OLIVIAN_web.jpg

[hi123]

To me it seems way to bg and bulky and jumbled , I think it would have been better if they had made it two towers, but you never know, it could turn out to be nice.

[mSeattle]

I agree. But this is Seattle and it isn't a box, plus it replaces surface parking... a big inprovement. So I let it slide.

[mhays]

Olivian looked like two towers from some angles 10 years ago, but it was connected all the way up. Like a figure-8 in plan. Sort of like the current rendering but more symetrical.

I like the current one too.

[mSeattle]

Got some shots of the rising. Couldn't stay, had to get to Seattle Center for Vegetarian Fest.

http://www.stringmages.com/skyscraperpage/denny/P3249497_eu_600sharp.jpg

http://www.stringmages.com/skyscraperpage/denny/P3249500_600sharp.jpg

http://www.stringmages.com/skyscraperpage/denny/P3249501_eu_a_600.jpg

http://www.stringmages.com/skyscraperpage/denny/P3249508_eu_600.jpg

http://www.stringmages.com/skyscraperpage/denny/P3249510_600.JPG

Next door at O8
http://www.stringmages.com/skyscraperpage/denny/P3249511_600.jpg